Jason Franz

Dr. Jason Franz is an Associate Professor in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and serves as the BME Well-Being Director and Director of the UNC Applied Biomechanics Laboratory. His research focuses on neuromuscular biomechanics, sensorimotor control, and aging-related mobility impairments. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Tech, a Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder, and completed an NIH post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

His laboratory integrates quantitative motion analysis, electromyography, dynamic ultrasound imaging, computational simulation, and virtual reality to address mobility preservation in aging populations. Key research interests include gait mechanics, muscle-tendon dynamics, and rehabilitation engineering.

Recent work emphasizes the metabolic and biomechanical consequences of altered gait patterns, particularly in aging and post-ACL reconstruction populations. Articles highlight adaptations in muscle activation, joint moments, and tendon stiffness under perturbations, with implications for fall prevention and cartilage health.

• Awards: NIH Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program (2017–2019), ACCLAIM Program (2019–2020), and multiple teaching/research fellowships.
• Courses Taught: BMME205 (Mechanics) and BMME405/890 (Biomechanics of Movement).
• Labs/Teams: UNC Applied Biomechanics Lab, focusing on translational technologies for mobility preservation.